George a



(No Model.)

s G. A. BOWEN.

FOLDING TABLE. l

No. 506,622. Patented 00L. 10, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. BOWEN, OE EONDLAc, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOE OE ONE-HALE To CHARLES L; MUENTEE, OE SAME PLACE.

VFOLDING TABLE,.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 506,622, dated October 10, 1893.

Application filed November 17, 1892. Serial No.452,255. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE A. BOWEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fond du Lac, in the county of Fond du Lac, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Tables; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple economical knock-down table having depending side and end rails rigid with the top at all times and each folding leg independent of all the others.

A further object of my invention is to provide a knock-down table provided with one or more drawers, engaging the sides or end rails, according to the disposition of the legs when folded.

The said invention therefore consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the' accompanying drawings, and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section of a table constructed according to my invention and in position for use; Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion of the table inverted, the legs being in horizontal section on line 2-2'of the preceding figure, and Fig. 3, a detail view of a springdevice that may be employed to exert pressure against a table-leg.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents the tabletop provided upon its under side with depending rigid side and end-rails B, C, these rails being joined at their extremities in any suitable manner to form right-angle corners. As a matter of preference the end-rails C are notched at their extremities to form seats for legs D, each of the latter being separately hinged to the under side of the table top. As best illustrated in Fig. l, each hinge has the leaf c thereof, that connects with the tabletop, in the form Of a right angle to permit of the relative leg, secured to the other leaf d, having a suflicient amount of play necessary to a swing on said hinge, but as this form of hinge is not new in the art I lay no claim thereto. It is also to be observed that one corner e of each legis rounded OE in order that it may clear the adjacent end-rail when swung on its hinge.

y When the table is not vin use, the legs D fold down lengthwise of the same and rest one upon another within the end and siderails lengthwise of the latter, and to maintain said legs in either a vertical or horizontal posiion, I employ suitable Spring-devices arranged to exert pressure on the aforesaid legs at all times. Vhile various forms of springs are Well adapted to the purpose I have only shown two forms herein, the first of these forms consisting of a bar E made from some elastic wood and centrally reduced to increase its elasticity. The inner end of each bar E is connected to the under side of the tabletop, by screws f or other suitable means, and the outer free end of said bar is provided with a notch g corresponding with the contour of the leg D adjacent thereto, and when this leg is brought to a vertical position t-he automatic engagement therewith of the notched springbar causes it to be firmly locked in its adjusted position, inasmuch as said leg is braced at four points While at the same time the engagement of the several legs with the relative seats b in the end-rails imparts a great degree of rigidity to the entire table, inasmuch as there are three corners of each leg engaging corresponding angles. To fold the legs, the free ends of the spring-bars are drawn back a suiiicient distance to disengage the notches therein from said legs, and the latter are retained in their folded position by the pressure exerted by said spring-bars when the latter are released.

The other form of spring-device, hereinl shown, consists of a pivotal non-elastic Wooden bar F and spring-piece G of the v4same material. The pivot h for the bar F connects the inner end of the latter with the under side of the table top, and the spring-piece G has its inner end held fast to said under side of the table-top by means of screws t', the disposition of this spring-piece being such that its free end exerts pressure at all times against an adjacent portion of said bar.

The free end of the non-elastic bar F is preferably notched similar to the elastic bars E above specied.

By the construction and arrangement of IOO being one of the peculiar advantages and objects of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y A knockdown table having depending ends and side rails, legs hinged to the under side of the table-top in the corners formed by said rails, each leg being independent of all the zo others in the series, and a lock for each leg in the form of a spring device connected at one end to said table top and having its other end provided with a notch for the reception of the inner corner of the relative leg, wherez 5 by the latter is braced at four points when extended, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand` at Fond du Lac, in the county of Fond du Lac and State of 3o Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. BOWEN.

Witnesses:

L. MUEMER,` C. L. MUENTER. 

